Powerful class today. Our intention for class came from a powerful Instagram post from one of our Winnipeg teachers Amelia Barnes.

Over six months ago Amelia and her husband lost her her baby after a beautiful and pregnancy journey. They got to hold their precious Landon for 17 hours and he took his last breath on her chest.

Amelia has been very open on new journey to heal. She shares her pain, her struggle to make sense of it all, and the learning that happens when you stay open. This openness has touched a lot of lives. Within a month of her starting to share she went from 1000 followers to 80,000 followers.

Recently she's been in Thailand working with a mentor of hers and doing lots of yoga and lots of learning. Our intention for class came from a post she put up two days ago I believe "Many Forms of Strength". Here is what I read to begin class:

"Strength comes in many forms ...Holding on when life drags you underLetting go when the current gets too strongCrawling back on to rocky shoresSoaking up the light of the sunClimbing bravely to new heightsSoaring quietly above it all .You are stronger than you know, stronger than you could ever imagine.Doubt is the only thing standing in the way of realizing your wildest dreams - the ones you don't even fathom are within the realm of possibility, the ones you bury deep underlayers of "not me" "I can't" and "maybelater".You are only and all of what youbelieve yourself to be. And you are always, without exception, enough.

How We Worked with This In Class

In a yoga practice we have a very direct way to explore our many forms of strength. I retuned to this powerful statement over & over again. As we lay in opening savasna, "Sometimes strength comes in the form of letting go of expectations, letting go of how you want your class to go".

When we are in down dog, "Sometimes our strength comes on the form of Roots."

When we are holding powerful pose for what seems like an hour, "Sometimes our strength comes in the form of relaxing your jaw and your eyes."

There is so much POWER or empowerment that grows when we pay attention to these little things that make us stronger. We can easily drift to off in our thoughts to grocery lists, to what we don't like about our body or what we don't like about this teacher to what's happening in our home and work life. But in each pose we return to a positive place 'of our strength'.

The other way we used it in class was by bringing attention to her line about how 'doubt stands in the way of our most in unfathomable dreams.

Amelia is a form of strength to this world. Her willingness to share so openly and speak to things with such courage inspires over 80,000 people with each post. This class was so powerful yesterday. To have 60 people taking 1 hour to focus on what makes them strong. It was very moving and brought tears to my eyes at the final savasna.

Thank you Amelia. I love you. We love you.

Song I Played In Final SavasanaVideo After the Lyrics Below

"Wish For You" - Rankin FamilyI hope you climb the highest mountain,I hope you always touch the sky,When I look out I want to see you ableWhere eagles fly.

There'll be times you feel you're fallingLessons learned out of the blueI hope that you always rememberBehind each tear there's laughter too

And with every breath you ever takeAnd every step you have to makeMy only wish for youIs only a beautiful,Beautiful dreams come true

There's so many ways to tell youI know sometimes you wonder whyIt's hard to see but you will find outWhere you go where eagles fly